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I have an apache HTTPD server that i keep running 24/7 . The problem is the server will sometimes freeze up entirely. The server is ubuntu 11.10 normal (not server) edition (i just can't work with a command prompt). It runs amazingly great, but if i leave it on for long periods of time, when I return to the computer and enter my password i cannot interact with anything at all . I'm certain the problem doesn't lie with ubuntu itself since ubuntu works great on my non-server computer, and im certain it's not overheating since i have multiple fans atttached to the thing. What else could it be?

Thanks,

-JXP

Edit

I didn't explain well enough what exactly I mean by "the computer freezes up". I get to my desktop, and I can move my mouse, but i cannot interact with anything. I cannot click on anything, I cannot type on anything. I cannot do anything except force a shutdown. (Just pressing the power button doesn't bring up a visible dialog.)

Edit 2

System specs: 1.74Ghz Intel Pentium CPU, 2GB RAM, 250GB HDD.

Also, the system freezing is extremely unpredictable. It won't hang if i leave it running for a set amount of time, it only might hang if i leave it on for a while.

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  • What are the basic server specs? CPU, men, etc... Can you task to terminal still, Ctrl-shift-f1? Can you restart X, Ctrl-shift-backspace? Mar 29, 2012 at 12:08
  • @JasonHuntley Pentium 1.7ghz CPU, 2gb RAM, 250gb HDD. Apache 2.4.1, and I haven't tried any of those things.
    – JXPheonix
    Mar 29, 2012 at 12:17
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    Have you checked memory with memtest?
    – AndrewQ
    Mar 29, 2012 at 14:03

2 Answers 2

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Perhaps Apache at some point consumes so much memory that your computer is practically swapping itself to death? If that's the case, after entering your password enough patience should let you log in.

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  • Perhaps I should clarify exactly on what the issue is, because i can log in...sort of. Let me edit my question.
    – JXPheonix
    Mar 29, 2012 at 11:45
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Your explanation leads to problems on the desktop part of your server (Xorg+Gnome, or Unity) especially for the screen-saver (some years ago, in my desktop, there was a screen-saver that was not possible to recover from. Changed it, problem gone).

Is your web server working anyway? If you from another place open a web page on that server, it's displayed? If you use ssh to connect, do you get a shell, or you're hanged?

If you get a ssh-shell, try to run 'top'. Then examine the logs (usually /var/log/messages), and xsession errors.

If the web server is not responding, and you cannot connect, there is a problem of memmory, or disk full.

Check this link: Freeze

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  • When I try to connect from a browser it hangs, I haven't tried sshing
    – JXPheonix
    Mar 29, 2012 at 12:15
  • So, it's not a problem of desktop... You should ssh several xterms (before the system hangs), and watch: - memory and disk free space; - processes (# of and % of CPU); - swap size; - also keep open a web page on the "server-status".
    – AndrewQ
    Mar 29, 2012 at 12:59

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